Tooth brush having rotary brush device

ABSTRACT

A tooth brush includes a handle, a shank attached to the handle and having a housing, a casing disposed in the housing, and a paddle wheel rotatably received in the casing and having a shaft extended out of the casing. A rotary brush device is attached to the shaft of the paddle wheel, and includes a number of brush members for teeth brushing purposes. A water supplying device may be used to supply water into the casing, to drive and to rotate the paddle wheel relative to the casing, and to drive the brush members of the rotary brush device to brush teeth. The casing includes a cover having one or more orifices for allowing water to flow out through the orifices of the cover of the casing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a tooth brush, and more particularly toa tooth brush having a rotary brush device and having a water jet forcleaning teeth.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical tooth brushes have been developed and comprisea brush device for brushing or cleaning teeth of users. For allowing thetypical tooth brushes to easily brush or clean the teeth of the users,some of the typical tooth brushes provide a water spraying nozzlecoupled to the brush device, for supplying water into the mouth of theusers while conducting teeth brushing or cleaning operations.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,189 to Levinson et al., and U.S. Pat.No. 3,593,707 to Pifer disclose two of the typical tooth brushes andeach also comprising a brush device for brushing or cleaning teeth ofusers, and each further comprising a water spraying nozzle coupled tothe brush device, for supplying water into the mouth of the users whileconducting teeth brushing or cleaning operations. However, the brushdevices may not be rotated to brush or clean the teeth of the users.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,434 to Burgess discloses another typical tooth brushcomprising a pair of parallel rotary brushes synchronously driven by afluid motor in opposite directions of rotation, to brush or clean theteeth of the users. However, no water may be supplied to clean the teethof the users.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,997 to O'Rourke discloses a further typical toothbrush comprising a brushing unit provided with rotating brushes, adentifrice carrying cartridge attachable to a water faucet, andsupporting an impeller operated by water pressure to rotate the brushes.The cartridge unit has a passage for conducting water from the faucet tothe rotating brushes.

However, the impeller is disposed far away from the rotating brushes ofthe brushing unit, and may not be used to directly or effectively rotateor drive the rotating brushes.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional tooth brush devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a toothbrush including a rotary brush device for suitably cleaning teeth ofusers.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide a tooth brushincluding a water jet for spraying water and for suitably cleaning theteeth of the users.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided atooth brush comprising a handle, a shank attached to the handle, andincluding a housing provided thereon, a casing disposed in the housing,a paddle wheel rotatably received in the casing, and including a shaftextended out of the casing, a rotary brush device attached to the shaftof the paddle wheel, and including a plurality of brush members providedon for teeth brushing purposes, and a water supplying device forsupplying water into the casing, to drive and to rotate the paddle wheelrelative to the casing, and to drive the brush members of the rotarybrush device to brush teeth.

The rotary brush device includes a base having a central hub providedthereon, and engaged onto the shaft of the paddle wheel, to attach therotary brush device to the shaft of the paddle wheel. The shaft of thepaddle wheel includes a peripheral groove formed therein, the rotarybrush device includes at least one projection extended into the centralhub thereof, to engage into the peripheral groove of the shaft of thepaddle wheel, to attach the rotary brush device to the shaft of thepaddle wheel.

The rotary brush device includes an outer peripheral rim, and at leastone bar coupled between the central hub and the outer peripheral rim, toform at least one opening in the base, and to allow water to flowthrough the opening of the base. The bar of the rotary brush deviceincludes an inclined surface formed therein, and facing toward thepaddle wheel.

The casing includes a cover attached thereon, and having at least oneorifice formed therein, for allowing water to flow out through theorifice of the cover and to flow onto the bar.

The casing includes an inlet port directed toward an outer peripheralportion of the paddle wheel, to allow water to flow onto the outerperipheral portion of the paddle wheel, and to effectively rotate thepaddle wheel relative to the casing.

The water supplying device includes a water pump received in the handle,and coupled to the inlet port of the casing, to pump water into theinlet port of the casing.

The housing includes a plate attached thereto and having a plurality ofstationary brush members provided on, for teeth brushing purposes. Thehousing includes a recess formed therein, and a partition extended intothe recess thereof, to form a peripheral shoulder in the housing, and toreceive the plate.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial exploded view of a tooth brush in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tooth brush;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a rotary brush device;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the tooth brush, taken along lines4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross sectional view of the tooth brush; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial cross sectional view, taken along lines6-6 of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, a tooth brush inaccordance with the present invention comprises a handle 10 including achamber 11 formed therein (FIG. 4), and including a front portion 12having a conduit 13 laterally disposed therein. A shank 20 includes oneend detachably secured to the front portion 12 of the handle 10 withsuch as one or more spring latches 21 (FIGS. 1, 4), and includes a heador a housing 22 formed or provided on the other end thereof.

The housing 22 of the shank 20 includes a recess 23 formed therein, anda rib or partition 24 extended into the recess 23 thereof, to form ordefine a circular space 25 therein. The partition 24 is not completelyextended through the recess 23 of the housing 22, in order to form anotch 26 in the housing 22 and communicated between the recess 23 andthe space 25 of the housing 22. It is preferable that the partition 24includes a thickness less then the thickness of the depth of the recess23 of the housing 22, to form or define a peripheral shoulder 27 in thehousing 22.

A water pump 30 is disposed in the chamber 11 of the handle 10, and iscoupled to the conduit 13 with a pipe 31, and a tube 32 is coupled tothe water pump 30 and includes one end 33 extended out through thehandle 10, for coupling to a water reservoir, and for allowing water tobe pumped through the conduit 13 and the pipe 31 by the water pump 30.One or more batteries 34 may be disposed in the chamber 11 of the handle10, and coupled to the water pump 30, for energizing the water pump 30.The handle 10 may include one or more switch buttons 14 provided thereon(FIG. 2) for operating the water pump 30.

A casing 40 is received in the space 25 of the housing 22, and securedto the housing 22 with adhesive materials, fasteners (not shown), or bywelding processes, and includes an inlet port 41 extended therefrom, andextended through the notch 26 of the housing 22, and includes a chamber42 formed therein. A hose 35 has one end 36 coupled to the conduit 13 ofthe handle 10, and the other end 37 coupled to the inlet port 41 of thecasing 40, to allow the water to be pumped into the chamber 42 of thecasing 40 by the water pump 30.

A cover 43 is attached onto the casing 40, and secured to the casing 40with adhesive materials, fasteners (not shown), or by welding processes,to enclose the chamber 42 of the casing 40, and includes a center hole44 and one or more orifices 45 formed therein. It is preferable that theorifices 45 of the cover 43 are aligned with each other, and locateddistal to the inlet port 41 of the casing 40 and the water pump 30.

A paddle wheel 50 is rotatably received in the space 25 of the housing22, and includes a shaft 51 extended therefrom, and extended through thecenter hole 44 of the cover 43 of the casing 40, for allowing the paddlewheel 50 to be stably and rotatably received in the space 25 of thehousing 22 by the cover 43. It is preferable that the inlet port 41 ofthe casing 40 is directed toward the outer peripheral portion 53 of thepaddle wheel 50 (FIGS. 4, 5), to allow the water to flow onto the outerperipheral portion 53 of the paddle wheel 50, and to allow the paddlewheel 50 to be effectively rotated or driven by the water jet suppliedthrough the inlet port 41 of the casing 40 by the water pump 30.

A rotary brush device 6 is further provided and includes a base 60having a central hub 61 provided thereon, to engage onto the shaft 51 ofthe paddle wheel 50 (FIG. 6), and includes one or more projections 62extended into the central hub 61 thereof, to engage into a peripheralgroove 52 of the shaft 51 of the paddle wheel 50 (FIG. 6), and to attachthe rotary brush device 6 to the shaft 51 of the paddle wheel 50. Therotary brush device 6 may either be solidly secured to or rotatablysecured to the shaft 51 of the paddle wheel 50 by the engagements of theprojections 62 into the peripheral groove 52 of the shaft 51 of thepaddle wheel 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rotary brush device 6 includes a number of brushmembers 63 provided on or extended from the base 60, and includes one ormore ribs or bars 64 coupled between the central hub 61 and an outerperipheral rim 67 thereof, to form or define one or more openings 65 inthe base 60, and to allow water to flow through the openings 65 of thebase 60. It is preferable that each of the bars 64 includes a tapered orinclined surface 66 formed or provided in the lower portion thereof, andfacing toward the cover 43 and the paddle wheel 50.

In operation, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when water is supplied into thechamber 42 of the casing 40, via the pipe 31 and the hose 35, by thewater pump 30, the water may flow in a fast speed into the chamber 42 ofthe casing 40 as a water jet, to drive or to rotate the paddle wheel 50and/or the rotary brush device 6 relative to the housing 22, forbrushing or cleaning the teeth of the users with the brush members 63.

The water flowing into the chamber 42 of the casing 40 may then flow outof the casing 40 via the orifices 45 of the cover 43, and may then flowor impact onto the tapered or inclined surfaces 66 of the bars 64 of therotary brush device 6, and then sprayed into the mouths of the users,for further cleaning the teeth of the users. The flowing or impacting ofthe water onto the tapered or inclined surfaces 66 of the bars 64 of therotary brush device 6 may further facilitate the rotating of the rotarybrush device 6 relative to the housing 22.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plate 70 may further be provided andengaged into the peripheral shoulder 27 of the housing 22, and may besecured to the housing 22 with adhesive materials, fasteners (notshown), or by welding processes, to enclose the recess 23 of the housing22. The plate 70 may include a number of stationary brush members 71provided on or extended from, for allowing the users to selectivelybrush their teeth with the stationary brush members 71 in addition tothe brush members 63 of the rotary brush device 6. The plate 70 may alsobe engaged with the casing 40, to further stably secure or retain thecasing 40 in the housing 22.

The rotary brush device 6 may be changeably or replaceably attached toand driven by the shaft 51 of the paddle wheel 50, and/or may be drivenby the water flowing onto the inclined surfaces 66 of the bars 64 of therotary brush device 6. The cover 43 may also be directly attached to thehousing 22, to enclose the space 25 of the housing 22, and to retain thepaddle wheel 50 within the space 25 of the housing 22 without the casing40. The shank 20 may be attached to various handles 10 or other toothbrush apparatuses (not shown).

Accordingly, the tooth brush includes a rotary brush device for suitablycleaning teeth of users, and includes a water jet for spraying water andfor suitably cleaning the teeth of the users.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. A tooth brush having a handle, said tooth brush comprising: a shankfor attaching to the handle, and including a housing provided thereonand having a space formed in said housing, a cover attached to saidhousing to enclose said space of said housing, and said cover includingat least one orifice formed therein, for allowing water to flow outthrough said at least one orifice of said cover, a paddle wheelrotatably received in said space of said housing, and including a shaftextended out of said cover, a rotary brush device attached to said shaftof said paddle wheel, and including a plurality of brush membersprovided on for teeth brushing purposes, and water supplying means forsupplying water into said space of said housing, to drive and to rotatesaid paddle wheel relative to said housing, and to drive said brushmembers of said rotary brush device to brush teeth.
 2. The tooth brushas claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotary brush device includes a basehaving a central hub provided thereon, and engaged onto said shaft ofsaid paddle wheel, to attach said rotary brush device to said shaft ofsaid paddle wheel.
 3. The tooth brush as claimed in claim 2, whereinsaid shaft of said paddle wheel includes a peripheral groove formedtherein, said rotary brush device includes at least one projectionextended into said central hub thereof, to engage into said peripheralgroove of said shaft of said paddle wheel, to attach said rotary brushdevice to said shaft of said paddle wheel.
 4. The tooth brush as claimedin claim 2, wherein said rotary brush device includes an outerperipheral rim, and at least one bar coupled between said central huband said outer peripheral rim, to form at least one opening in saidbase, and to allow water to flow through said at least one opening ofsaid base.
 5. The tooth brush as claimed in claim 4, wherein said atleast one bar of said rotary brush device includes an inclined surfaceformed therein, and facing toward said paddle wheel.
 6. The tooth brushas claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a casing receivedin said space thereof, and said cover is attached to said casing.
 7. Thetooth brush as claimed in claim 6, wherein said casing includes an inletport directed toward an outer peripheral portion of said paddle wheel,to allow water to flow onto said outer peripheral portion of said paddlewheel, and to effectively rotate said paddle wheel relative to saidcasing.
 8. The tooth brush as claimed in claim 7, wherein said watersupplying means includes a water pump coupled to said inlet port of saidcasing, to pump water into said inlet port of said casing.
 9. The toothbrush as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a plateattached thereto and having a plurality of stationary brush membersprovided on, for teeth brushing purposes.
 10. The tooth brush as claimedin claim 9, wherein said housing includes a recess formed therein, and apartition extended into said recess thereof, to form a peripheralshoulder in said housing, and to receive said plate.